Observations on the fishery and certain aspects of the biology of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre) taken by longline gear in the EEZ of India

Abstract

The two oceanic species of tunas that are exploited by India at present are the skipjack and yellowfin (mainly young ones) tunas. The distribution of yellowfin tuna in the area extends from the oceanic waters to the marginal range of neritic provinces, and the exploitation of this species is chiefly along the fringe of its distribution. In the case of the yellow fin tuna, the juvenile and immature fishes enter the surface fishery in the insular ranges and the adults are mainly confined to the sub-surface waters in the oceanic area where they contribute to the tuna longline fishery.